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Top stories
The Wind in The Emerging Markets
Vietnam’s economy is on the rise, seeing its electricity consumption increase by about 13% each year since 20006. The beachy and very windy Southeast Asian country is bolstering its wind power infrastructure to meet this demand, growing wind generation capacity by 400% in just one year6. It’s a sign that emerging regions are taking a very different approach to industrialisation.
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock Energy and Resources Income Trust plc
Greater Expectations
An increasing number of people are demanding more from their healthcare services in almost every way. From reviewing their doctors and consultants to customising their choices of diagnostic tests, 70-80% of Americans are now managing some of their health needs online, up from 50% just five years ago7. This is partly due to the millennial appetite for better customer experiences, but also the rise of new start-up providers, retail pharmacies and tech centred around the needs of the individual, allowing more to be done from the comfort of home.
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock Sustainable American Income Trust.
We’re Going on a Mineral Hunt
Owing to demand, it’s becoming increasingly tricky and expensive to find new exploration targets for the world’s minerals. However, more and more mining companies are turning to the powers of ‘big data’ to perfect the process. Clues on where to look next are buried in piles of historic data – data that powerful computers are now able to excavate. Big data can be used to identify ‘co-occurrence’, where clusters of minerals have typically occurred together, and this can be used to get even better at finding specific varieties.
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock World Mining Trust plc
Better together
The pandemic has brought new attention to the way drugs are tested and monitored. Even in well-constructed clinical trials, it’s sometimes tricky to spot rare reactions and interactions with other drugs and even foods. This is where ‘pharmacovigilance’ comes in – a branch of science devoted to monitoring drugs as they are rolled out, checking ongoing efficacy and safety.
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust
Lord of the Buys
In Brazil, the growth of ecommerce is defying wider economic trends, with online retail sales predicted to grow 19.4% to USD $83.63 billion1. And smartphones are making a significant contribution to this, representing almost 40%2 of all ecommerce transactions in the region. How long will it be before smartphones become the preferred way to buy for the 43 million Brazilians3 who shop online?
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust plc
Planes, Strains and New Biofuels
The airline industry is under a lot of strain. The Covid-19 crisis has hurt business, but with governments pressured to make lower carbon emissions a condition of offering any bailout assistance, planes need to change. Or at least what they run on does. Biofuels might be the answer. Namely, ethanol (an alcohol made by fermenting biomass high in carbohydrates) and biodiesel (alcohol combined with vegetable oil, animal fat, or recycled cooking greases).
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust plc
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The Catcher in the Sky
Soda ash is involved in everything from dying textiles to making detergents. It’s one of the most useful chemical compounds on earth, but high carbon emissions mean it is also one of the most environmentally impactful. That’s why Fast-moving consumer goods companies are looking at ways to catch the resulting CO2 before it gets into the atmosphere and recycle it. They’re also looking at substitutes, and are making progress by using rhamnolipids, a renewable and biodegradable surfactant.
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock Income and Growth Trust plc
Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
In the UK, 5G still has an elusive presence, delivering faster connectivity in select parts of the country’s major cities. But other countries are easily outpacing their developed rivals. The world’s first 5G video call was made in Kuwait in 20194 and now covers the whole country, and progress is also being made in Oman, Palestine and Qatar, with trials ongoing in Indonesia, Myanmar and Maldives.
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust plc
A Workplace Odyssey
The pandemic has ushered in a new age of agile working that’s here to stay. 73% of corporations4 are expected to offer better flexibility for employees post pandemic. Maintaining a cohesive work culture will depend on good video and audio conferencing, desktop sharing and data access. Businesses that can get this right will reap the benefits. No commute or overpriced coffees necessary.
This is one of many stories of companies having an impact from the BlackRock Throgmorton Trust plc.
1Emarketer, June 2020
2Unlimint, December 2019
3Statista, July 2021
4Ooredoo, January 2019
5Yahoo Finance, March 2021
6Vestas, September 2020
7Mckinsey, June 2021
